BORO boss Tony Mowbray believes his underdogs can engineer a cup shock at the Riverside tonight and beat the European Champions.

BORO boss Tony Mowbray believes his underdogs can engineer a cup shock at the Riverside tonight and beat the European Champions.

And he says attack could be Boro’s best form of defence in the FA Cup fifth round clash.

But he admits the size of the task is daunting as cut-price Boro shape up against the billionaires.

Mowbray has seen Boro draw twice and then beat Sunderland in knockouts over the past year and just narrowly get squeezed out of the League Cup this term by eventual winners Swansea.

“And we acquitted ourselves well in those games,” he said. “But with respect, Chelsea are at another level completely.

“They are the holders in this competition and they are the European Champions - and they beat Barcelona to get there.

“So we know this is a massive challenge - but we look forward to it. We aim to give them a good game and get a positive result.

“We are mindful of the quality they can put on the pitch. They have £50m strikers, £40m midfield men, most of England’s defence, they are all international footballers but we look forward to the test and giving a good account of ourselves.

“And we know we have to be positive. I don’t think we can defend for 90 minutes. I think that will put us under pressure.

“We hope to make it as difficult as possible for them, play with a lot of energy, with a lot of intensity and find a way to get a positive result.

“The best way to win the game is to win challenges, put the ball in their box, do things that get our crowd involved.

“But hopefully the crowd will be mindful too that they are a very good team and it can be difficult against good sides when they have the ball, when you can’t get near it. I hope the fans realise that when we do not have the ball for spells that we are still working very hard.”

And the boss believes the atmosphere of a big cup crowd in full voice can boost Boro.

“It does make a difference,” he insisted. “It gives an extra spurt to the team, it can give the little extra adrenaline rush.

“And the supporters will be excited at the possibility of a quarter-final at Old Trafford.

“We have to be positive and try and keep that dream alive.

“We have to concentrate and stay in the game and make it exciting for the fans and to get them involved so we all get a positive result.”

But Mowbray realises it will be a tough game and that for spells Boro face the prospect of being out-played so will need to be patient and keep up their work-rate and concentration levels.

“I won't be too disappointed if Chelsea have 500 or 600 passes if we have 100 and win 2-1,” he says.

“That’s football. It is a one-off game and it can happen. Chelsea will have more of the ball than we will. Will they get behind us? Will they hurt us? Will they have counter-attacks? Will we score when the chances come? Will someone get a head on a corner? I don’t know, but we will be doing our best.

“Take for instance Chelsea in those Barcelona games last season. How on earth did Chelsea win? With 10 men against the best team in the world, the best team for decades and still managing to come out on top. They found a way and so we can find a way on the night

“We are playing a good side but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a result.”